Hi Chris
I quite like the "lookout" element of USTALL (though I don't actually chant
the checklist to myself on circuit). What I use it for is a reminder that,
in addition to my normal lookout, I also need to pay attention to the other
side of the circuit, look for aircraft on long, straight in approaches, and
look at what's happening on the ground. This is a different mode of lookout
to XC or local soaring, and I usually find myself muttering "lookout" at
some point to remind me of the change of mode.
You are right in that it should be automatic to be scanning the sky, but that is
not what I was taught the "lookout" item was for.
"Lookout" reminds you to look in different places - you are going to land, check
that the ground condition is good - runway clear, no cars/ gliders/ kids/
microlights or cows. YOu should already be looking for conflicting aerial traffic.


But I take the point - if the pilot doesn't lookout except in response to a
checklist, I'd like to be in a different part of the sky.

S (straps or speed?) is pretty useless on downwind, T (trim) ditto, and A
(airbrakes I think) is wierd - if you can't find them you're in trouble,
though if I flew a flapped glider or had the UC lever on the same side as
the airbrake (LS4s excepted) I'd add a mental note to check which lever I
intended to use for approach control.

Look at the statistics of experienced pilots damaging aircraft and themselves
because they tried to adjust their descent rate with the flaps or worse
undercarriage. Maybe the hoary old pilots with thousands of hours always know
they have their hand on the blue lever when they want to. Me- I still find it
useful to consciously think "what glider am I in, OK put your hand on the
airbrake lever, and crack them to be sure" Then I know I have my brakes sorted.

Same thing with speed and trim, just helps to think explicitly about how fast
you are landing.

U is quite clear in my mind, having landed wheels up once already, and
hoping not to do it again.

"Ian Johnston" wrote in message
news:cCUlhtvFIYkV-pn2-zikdWvOGpoiF@localhost...

You should see some of the downwind checklists/mnemonics in use in the
UK. They include things like "trim" - for people who wouldn't normally
think of using the trimmer, I presume - and, most bizarrely of all,
"lookout". I'm not sure that I want to share the sky with people who
need a mnemonic to remind them to look out...



The trim thing is also a safety thing, high workload tends to result in people
forgetting things like trim. Flying the circuit with some residual pressure on
the stick can have interesting effects when you get distracted. Tends to happen
after a long fast final glide - to me at any rate. More to the point what speed
are you trimming for - are you sure it is right.

It's a good discipline to use the checklist - much more important to understand
why each item is there. If all you are doing is going "lookout - check I am
looking out" you are wasting your time with the checklist.

No personal slight intended, but as a general comment I have found that if I
find there is a generally accepted practice in flying that one can't see the
value of, it is important to find out why it has become generally accepted
practice. Most glider pilots are not fools. (well with the possible exception of
irrational desire for more span) Generally I have found good reasons for most of
the habits and standards, even if they are not always entirely obvious. Ricardo
Semler claims you should always ask Why? three times at least. Works for me.

Bruce